A Rooftop of Memories
by TreeToad511
Summary: A loosely tied together string of oneshots. Adam and Blake both remember a certain rooftop and a time that was so much simpler. Before team RWBY is put together but after Blake leaves the White Fang. Tauradonna.
1. Prologue: Saying Goodbye

**Saying Goodbye**

Sometimes you know something isn't a good idea. Yet, you do it anyway. Blake was in that situation. She stood looking out at the school. Beacon Academy. This was the school she wanted to go to. This was where she _would_ change the world for the better. She wasn't able to do that in the White Fang. At least, not peacefully. She hoped to get in the school, but didn't know the school's stand on faunus. She would have to hide her ears.

"Quite the sight isn't it?" A voice startled her out of her thoughts. She knew that voice. It was the voice that haunted her dreams. After all, nightmares were dreams too. He stepped up next to her overlooking Beacon. He looked at her for a moment and once he realized that she wasn't going to answer he continued. "So this was your big plan? Or did you make it up as went? Enroll at Beacon, that'll do the trick! Then they'll finally see me as an equal! Really, Blake?"

She spun to look at him, forgetting about how she had left him on that train. "Just because you don't think it will work doesn't mean I won't try it! Stop trying to control me, Adam!"

He gently, as if handling a bird with a broken wing, picked up her hand. "You really think I'm controlling you? I'm not dragging you back to the White Fang am I? And last I checked, you volunteered to join the White Fang. I never controlled you. Unless you count me forcing you to train without a weapon, that is." He smiled before letting her hand go. "Come back, Blake. We can say that the train got too far before the explosives went off and the return journey took more time."

"Why did you follow me?" Blake's ears pushed up in a sign of aggression. "Why? I'm not that important to the White Fang. You can operate fine on missions without me. I don't need to go back."

Adam sat down on the edge of the precipice they were on. "Every last member is important to the White Fang, you are a great asset on missions, and I never said that you _needed_ to go back. I just strongly encourage it." He patted the rock next to him. "Why don't you sit?"

Blake shook her head. She didn't want to socialize with him. She had to run from him. He was a monster who killed people. She didn't want to be with someone like that. "I don't think I will."

"Sit." Adam said in the "you better do what I tell you or I will make you do fifty push-ups" voice.

"No. I won't sit and have a nice little chat with a monster!" Blake only took two steps back before he was up on his feet.

"That's what you think I am, a monster?" His voice turned deadly. Adam reached up, slowly removing his mask. Blake involuntarily winced. "Monsters are the people who do this to others, monsters are the ones who create slaves, and monsters are the people that I am trying to stop!"

"Monsters also are the ones who kill people." Blake slowly pronounced each word with clarity and caution.

"Wouldn't that make you a monster too?" Adam placed two fingers under her chin which forced her to look at him. "Blake, there are two sides in a battle and you can't sit on the fence. You'll get twice the amount of bullets in your body that way. I need you to choose. Which side? The one that fights for equality or the one that fights for power? For you the choice should be easy."

"Adam, there has to be a better way. Violence isn't the only answer, we should try peacefully. Reacting with violence makes us the monsters they think we are."

"We already tried that and it got us nowhere." Adam growled. "Please, Blake. Don't become my enemy too."

Blake shook her head. "You have far too many enemies, Adam. I don't want to be one of them, but I'm not coming back to the White Fang. I'm going to try reasoning with the humans."

Adam pulled away in what seemed like disgust. "I don't want you to leave. Do the memories mean nothing to you? Does our cause mean nothing to you? Do I mean nothing to you?"

"That's not it! Of course I care about the memories, faunus equality, and… and…" Blake stared at the ground, unwilling to look Adam in the eye. "Of course I care about you, Adam. I'm sorry. I have to do this. The White Fang is changing and you don't care. I won't stand by that."

"Blake… I won't stop you." Adam was gone, just like that. He left Blake standing there. Alone. Blake slowly sunk to her knees. Tears pooled and overflowed. Sobs wracked her body. Who knew that saying goodbye could hurt this much? Adam's words echoed in her head.

"_Wouldn't that make you a monster too?"_


	2. Homemade Hot Chocolate

**Homemade Hot Chocolate**

_It was a cold Friday night. Blake sat atop a rooftop. Tears streamed down her face and a blanket was wrapped around her shoulders. Another blanket lay underneath her, shielding her from the cold concrete of the building. The moon was beautiful, shining its pale light across the White Fang encampment. In her hands was Gambol Shroud. The weapon itself was fine not a nick on it. It was what the blade was covered in that disturbed Blake. _

_The sound of the someone coming behind her opening made her turn. Adam flashed her a quick smile before stepping all the way onto the roof. He came over and hand her a cup of hot chocolate. Gratefully Blake dropped the weapon and accepted the cup._

"_Scoot over." She complied shifting so that Adam could sit down next to her on the blanket. He dropped down with a sigh. Soundlessly he lifted her blanket partly off her shoulders and snuggled up. Blake laid her head on his shoulders. Adam smiled before kissing the top of her head._

"_Thank you." Blake whispered. She didn't know what she would have done without Adam. He had helped her through all of it._

"_I should be the one thanking you." His arm wrapped around her shoulders and his hand gently rubbed her shoulder. "You did what you had to do Blake."_

_She sniffed and nodded into his shoulder. Blake sipped the hot chocolate in her hand. She decided that Adam was an expert in the art of making hot chocolate. "I just…" She looked down Gambol Shroud where it lay in front of them."I just… I don't even know what I wanted to say."_

_Adam nodded. Sometimes words just couldn't get your point across._

Blake shook her head as if trying to get rid of the memories. It hurt too much to think about. She had killed someone. She had taken someone else's life. She had done it to protect Adam.

That whole day was so vivid in her mind. For months she had had the day on repeat in her head. Trying to figure out what she could have done differently. What she could have done to not make it end that way.

_The mission was simple. Get in, get the data, and get out. They had gotten in, they had gotten the data, and now all they had to do was get out. Atlas, however, had different plans._

_She and Adam had taken down robot after robot, but more just kept coming. Finally humans had showed up. Blake and Adam started to do what they always did fighting humans. Incapacitate them. That way the humans didn't die, but the White Fang got what they needed. _

_Adam had been fighting three head on. Blake was covering his back. A soldier had slipped past her and aimed at Adam's back. Blake had done the only thing she could do. She threw Gambol Shroud. The blade sunk into the soldier's back. Right into his heart. He was dead before he hit the ground. _

_Blake's scream made Adam turn around. A look of rage crossed his face. The next instant the humans went flying in all directions. He pulled Gambol Shroud out of the fallen soldier's back, grabbed Blake, and sprinted back to their transportation. Blake had struggled not to look at her blade, dyed crimson with a man's blood._

_The rest of the day Blake had cried into Adam's shoulder. He had sat with her up on the roof, comforting her._

Blake wandered through the streets of Vale. She didn't know what she was looking for. Her ribbon was in her hair, making her look like just another human. She spotted a cafe and went in. After a moment's hesitation she ordered hot chocolate.

She took one sip. That was all she needed. One sip to tell that it wasn't nearly as good as Adam's. His hot chocolate was rich and creaming and oh so delicious. This stuff was bland and bitter by comparison.

A sad smile crossed Blake's face. Adam. He had been so kind to her. Comforting her and making her hot chocolate. She would pester him to make it for her on rainy days. Well, she pestered him for it all the time, but especially on rainy days. There was no better feeling in the world then curling up with a book and a cup of Adam's homemade hot chocolate.


	3. Laughter and Sickness

**Laughter and Sickness**

Adam mutely got up from the meeting and walked outside. He couldn't tell them what had happened to Blake. So instead he use her strategy. He ran. Adam ran till he was on _their _rooftop. The rooftop that he and Blake would sit on for so long. One time they had stayed up all night just talking. She had been so mad that he had kept her up that late, yet still wanted her to train. He had laughed at her, saying that they would be fine. Three hours later the had both sneaked off for a nap in the forest. That had been a fun day.

Adam chuckled as he remembered one conversation on this roof.

"_What makes you laugh?" _

"_What kind of question is that?"_

"_Well I've never seen you laugh." Adam shook his head at how she said it so matter-of-factly._

"_I assure I can laugh."_

"_Prove it." Adam smirked at that. She wanted him to prove the fact that he could laugh._

"_Blake, I can't just spontaneously laugh that's not how it works."_

"_Just try."_

"_Why don't you laugh first?" Adam lunged and started to tickle Blake. She squealed rolled over, trying to escape his attack. Adam only pressed the attack, using his legs to pin her in one spot. She had laugh then. He laugh was melodious. Adam couldn't help but laugh at her laugh. _

"_Wait, you can laugh!" Blake had giggled and Adam had collapsed next to her. "I never knew you could laugh." Blake said when everything was quiet._

"_I told you I could laugh."_

Adam cleared his throat trying to forget the memories. It hurt too much to think about. Blake had spent the rest of that day happy. She had walked around with a small smile on her face.

"Taurus!" Adam internally groaned when he heard his name. Some White Fang soldier had followed him up here. "Taurus, you have been requested back to finish your mission report."

Adam gripped his blade's handle before answering. "Tell them I will be back in a minute. I just need time to cool off."

"Sir, they want you _now_." The White Fang goon backed up a few steps. No one had really seen Taurus do anything too major, but the Belladonna girl wasn't here right now and she was known to have have some sort of a calming effect on Taurus.

"_I said_ I will be back in a minute. Now leave." Adam snarled. The White Fang soldier's fox tail stooped in between his legs.

"Y-yes, sir." The soldier scuttled off the roof as fast as his legs would carry him. Adam snorted in distaste. A small twinge from his conscience annoyed him. Blake wouldn't have been happy with him for how he had treated that soldier.

_Adam had a fever. He had it when we woke up but he had kept on doing his work. Blake had noticed his lethargy in training. She had demanded the answer out of him and when he had finally answered she had groaned and pulled him to the roof._

_Now, he lay with his head in her lap and her hand stroking his hair. This was the best spot for them to be. If it was discovered that they had left the training field, Adam would be in for a long lecture. Adam resting in his room wasn't an option because that would be one of the first places they'd look for him. As a result they were on the roof, Adam's head in Blake's lap._

_To most the touch would look too intimate, but to Blake and Adam it was just one friend helping another. Or was it? Adam suppressed a shiver as Blake's tiny hand ran through his hair. Blake's presence was calming, and Adam wouldn't admit it, but he felt strangely safe with her. Not physically, but mentally, with her Adam knew his purpose and had something, no, someone to fight for._

"_We could head in now." Blake said softly, smiling down at the exhausted man in her lap._

_Adam grunted in response and opened his eyes. _

"_Come on we need to get you to bed." Blake gently helped him up and picked up their weapons. Adam took his weapon and marched forward looking completely healthy despite the fact that his skin was burning up. Blake shook her head before jogging to catch up with him. _

_The next day Blake was told that Adam wouldn't be able to train with her due to a sudden illness._

Adam trudged into the meeting room. He peered through his mask at the occupants of the room. They would surely say that Blake was a traitor and knew too much information about the White Fang. They more likely than not would issue that she was to be taken dead or alive. Even though she had left, Adam still wanted to protect her.

"Blake went missing during the mission. I was late because I was searching for her. I request that you let me devote my time to finding her." Adam said curtly.

"You have one week to find her." The White Fang official threatened Adam.

Adam nodded before leaving, "Thank you, sir."

Taurus was going after Belladonna. He would bring her home.


	4. Paperwork

**Paperwork**

Blake finished her tuna far too quickly. The food in Vale was far better then she had expected. The White Fang had always been well supplied with fresh food. Blake had thought that Vale wouldn't have been able to compare, but it could hold its own in a fresh culinary selection.

Blake was currently sitting in a tree that had been her home for the past few days. The tree was on the outskirts of Vale and a perfect spot for Blake. It was far enough away that she could catch a few winks of sleep, but close enough that she could see humans interacting with each other.

Blake didn't know what she wanted to do now. He had left the White Fang and Adam, but what was she to do now? She could fight and wanted to go to Bacon, but what did she need to do to get in? A young couples' conversation drifted up to Blake's ears.

"I can't believe that you made it into Beacon!" A woman squealed. "You're going to become a hunter!"

"I know the whole thing just seems so surreal. I'm finally going to be able to fight the grim." A man's voice answered the woman's.

Blake blinked. This kid had gotten into Beacon, surely she could too. Even if she didn't know how.

"I'm glad that I signed up the first week. Some people say that the headmaster doesn't pay as much attention to the later applicants. My friend had signed up this week and he already got a letter saying that he wouldn't be attending Beacon." The man shook his head before continuing his story. "I told him that he shouldn't wait till the last week to sign up."

The woman giggled. "Was that Timmy?"

The man chuckled and squeezed her shoulder. "Of course it was Timmy. That idiot doesn't ever listen to good advice. You remember that time he tried to bake a cake with gunpowder instead of baking powder?"

"How could I forget?" The woman giggled again. Blake tuned out the rest of the conversation. She wasn't particularly interested in Timmy's exploits. Blake could try to get into Beacon this week and it was her only chance, after that she would have to wait another year.

Blake slipped off. It was time for her to get some paperwork done. The thought of paperwork made Blake think of a certain someone and a certain incident.

_Blake stepped out onto the roof. She had been hoping to have some peace and quiet to read her book alone. Well, not completely alone Blake had admittedly been hoping that a certain someone would been on the roof._

_She wasn't disappointed. Adam sat cross legged on the edge of the roof. His sword was in his hand and he was sharpening it. He was sitting so that his left side was facing Blake and his right side was facing the sun. _

_Blake walked over and sat down behind him. She leaned back so that Adam's back served as her backrest. Adam only made a slight humming sound before resuming his task of sharpening his weapon. Blake opened her book and began reading right where she had left off that morning. A thought made her pause, however._

"_Adam."_

"_Hm?"_

"_Why are sharpening your sword again? You just sharpened it yesterday." _

_Adam chuckled and sheathed his sword. "You got me."_

"_So why are you here?" Blake closed her book and leaned her head back, letting it rest on Adam's right shoulder._

"_I'm avoiding paperwork." Adam set his blade down to the side._

"_Adam." Blake chastised. _

"_What? I hate paperwork you know this."_

"_You'll have to face your dreaded enemy sometime." Blake teased._

"_I'd rather not do it right now." Adam leaned his head back on Blake's right shoulder._

_Blake closed her eyes and smiled. It was relaxing to just sit with Adam, not just ignore the world around them. Blake thought about what their relationship was. They were more than student and mentor, but they weren't in a romantic relationship. Yes, there was more physical contact then there needed to be, but they were nothing more than friends. Right?_

"_Besides if I go do paperwork, I'm stuck with a long night. Alone. I'd prefer to just sit up here with you until morning." Adam's voice startled Blake out of her thoughts. "That way I'm not alone."_

"_Adam, you'll be fine, the paperwork won't take all night, and I am NOT staying up all night again just talking!" Blake said. _

_Adam groaned before lifting his head back up. "Fine. I'll go do the stupid paperwork." He stood up and grabbed his weapon._

_Blake sat up already lamenting the loss of her backrest. She opened her book. "Have fun vanquishing your enemies."_

_Adam turned around and pointed a finger at her as he walked away. "Not nice nor funny."_

_Blake only rolled her eyes. "You'll be fine. Although, you will go down in legend as the warrior who was defeated by paperwork."_

"_Hey!" _


	5. That's What Friends Do

**That's What Friends Do**

Adam Taurus did not like working with idiots. They weren't even useless. They were worse than useless. They were completely debilitating! Their stupidity was driving him up the wall, they couldn't even manage to be quiet, and they wouldn't stop talking about finding Blake!

It was weird, Adam didn't remember requesting to have a team with him, he didn't ever think that he had said "Oh, yeah, I'd like to have a few _morons_ come with me." Oh, wait, Adam _hadn't_ said that. When he had requested to find Blake, Adam had thought that it had been clear that he'd be doing it alone. But clearly not! Adam Taurus was stuck with the three stooges for teammates!

He had already made up his mind to ditch them, but the question was where? Where could Adam leave these idiots? They were already almost to Vale, which was where Adam was pretty sure Blake was.

"Look! I think that's Vale!" One of the idiots said.

"Really? No way!" Another one said excitedly. The third one, thankfully, didn't say anything.

Adam growled at the trio. "Let's get moving, we don't have a lot of time left." The chorus of "Yes, sir!"s made Adam's ears hurt. The awful sound wasn't at all like Blake's soft and quiet "Okay."s.

It was night when Adam finally managed to dump his company. He had left them at some bar, looking for Blake. They had said that "Hey, it's Friday, maybe she's partying." Adam had happily agreed. He knew that Blake would never party of her own free will. The idea of her doing that was ridiculous. But the idiots were left at the bar looking for Blake, while Adam would be actually finding her.

Adam was currently zipping through the streets, he wasn't even looking for Blake right now. He knew that she wouldn't be able to immerse herself right into the city; she would be on the outskirts.

Blake really only ran. That was all she seemed to do. The first time Adam had seen her run was something he would never forget.

_Blake had dragged Adam up to the roof. She had managed to get him to stop their training for it. She had told him that she had something she needed to say to him in private. So here they were only for Blake to tell Adam that no, she hadn't had anything to say. She was just running._

_From her mother. Blake was running from her mother._

"_Reminded me again why we are _both _hiding up here?" Adam asked. They were sitting down so that anyone passing by below wouldn't be able to just look up and see them._

"_I write to my mom. In my last letter I mentioned you and now she has to meet you." Blake groaned._

"_Really? What did you say about me?" Adam teased. _

_Blake's face turned a shade akin to that of Adam's hair. "That's not important!"_

"_Oh, really?" Adam continued to taunt._

_Blake opened her mouth to answer but immediately closed it and slapped a hand over Adam's mouth. She made a signal for quiet. Adam rolled his eyes. She of course couldn't see that so instead he did something that he would notice. He blew all the air out of his lungs. The resulting puff of air washed over Blake's hand. _

_She squeaked and glared and Adam. "Try to stay quiet!" She hissed. Footsteps on the walkway told Adam that they would be having company. With her hearing Blake had found out before he did._

_Cat ears suddenly poked above the roof. "Dang it!" Blake hissed again. She turned and quick as can be leapt over the railing. Adam chuckled before straightening his mask._

_A cat faunus that looked like a older, kinder Blake stepped onto the roof. She stopped when she saw Adam and looked surprised. Her eyes had widened slightly and her mouth formed a little o. _

_Adam stood up when he saw her. She was Kali Belladonna, Blake's mother and the wife of one of the White Fang's past leaders. It was only right to give her respect._

"_Mrs. Belladonna, what are you doing up here?" Adam inquired. Kali looked at him and smiled. It wasn't odd that he knew her name, after all most of the White Fang did._

"_I'm looking for my daughter Blake. Have you seen her?"_

_Adam frowned and leaned his head to the side. "I'm afraid not Mrs. Belladonna. Sorry I couldn't be of more help."_

"_That's alright, I was told that she spent a good deal of time up here and it's one of the few places I haven't checked. Thank you." With that Kali Belladonna turned back around and left._

_Blake's head poked up. "Did you just lie to my mother?" She sounded indignant._

"_What I did" Adam said as he reached down to help Blake up. "Is save your skin, and where is my thanks?"_

"_You lied to my mother!" Blake pulled a few twigs out of her hair._

"_Were you hiding in a tree?" Adam said with some amusement as he picked a leaf out of her hair. _

"_Yes, but you lied to my mother! She'll have to meet you sometime and she'll then know that you lied to her!" Blake whined. She continued to cleanse her hair of plant matter._

_Adam shook his head as he removed another leaf from Blake's locks. "Your mother doesn't need to know that you were here at all. That way she never knows that I lied."_

_Blake shook the last the twigs out of her hair. "You're right! At least I have one less thing to worry about." She started to walk away but Adam grabbed her arm._

"_Hold up you're not done here."_

"_What do want, Adam?" Blake sighed. She was ready to be done with his shenanigans. _

"_What did you tell your mom about me?"_

"_Adam!" Blake shreaked._

"_Blake, dear, is that you?" Kali's voice called out._

_Adam and Blake looked at each other before both jumped off the edge of the roof._

Adam jumped off another roof this one was much shorter than the one that he and Blake had jumped off. They hadn't been injured of course. Though they had missed out on dinner.

Adam spotted a tree a short distance away. It was just the spot Blake would hang out. He soundless leapt into the tree and snooped around. The only thing of note that he found was a messenger bag. The bag was black, Blake's favorite color. Adam opened it up.

Inside there was a leather-bound book, a hairbrush, a whetstone, and wrapped up loaf of bread. Adam was tempted to take the snack, but decided against it. He and Blake weren't back on the terms of "it's okay to take my snack, but I'm taking yours" and Adam didn't want to risk getting her angry.

The question was: would Blake come to a meeting place if he left a note? The only harm in leaving a note would be if she panicked and ran. He could just wait for Blake, but who knows how long she would take to come back. Adam was already short on time. Although the three stooges were probably drunk by now.

Waiting game it was. Adam made himself comfortable in the crook of one of the tree's branches. He pulled out the book. Blake always had a book handy, even if she was on the run. Adam opened it in the beginning, he might as well start entertaining himself. The sight that greeted his eyes as he opened the book was the last thing he expected.

It was a picture.

The fact that Blake had a picture was, in and of itself unextraordinary, it was what the picture was that was shocking.

It was them.

Blake and Adam. They were both on the roof. They were clearly asleep and Blake's head was resting on his shoulder. Adam's head was resting on top of hers. Her eyes were closed, while his were still covered, and they both looked… happy. Small smiles were still on both of their faces. A circle was drawn around their hands, which were entwined together. Adam and Blake asleep, holding hands, and smiling.

Adam flipped the picture over to see writing. It was a note to Blake.

"_Went to find you, but you were passed out with your 'mentor' you two look cute together._

_Illia_

_P.S When's the wedding?"_

Adam placed the picture back where it was and continued to go through the book. The first page had sloppy handwriting. As it moved on the handwriting got better and better until it became Blake's beautiful pen strokes. It was a diary. Out of respect for Blake, Adam closed it and didn't read the book.

As much as he wanted to know why she thought humanity could be redeemed, or why she had left him, it wasn't his place to read her diary.

She would tell him when she was ready. And he would wait until she was ready and wouldn't press the matter.

Because that's what friends do.


	6. Bookstores and Shadows

**Bookstores and Shadows**

Blake hummed as she walked. She had found a bookstore yesterday but it had been closed then, now she was going there. She paused in front of the quaint, little building and smiled. For a split second she thought she saw a shadow moving in the alleyway. It was probably nothing, just her imagination.

Blake walked in, ignoring the "NO FAUNUS" sign out front. She had her bow in so the owner wouldn't be able to tell that she was a faunus. She was greeted by an elderly man. His hair was mainly silver with a few wisps of brown left.

"Welcome little missy, how can I help you today?" Blake hesitated. What did she want? Romance? Just plain fiction? Si-fi? The words that ended up coming out of her mouth were not what she was planning to say.

"Are you hiring part-timers?" The man stepped back and blinked for a moment. Blake subconsciously let her ears droop. Realizing her mistake, Blake forced her ears back up, hopefully the man hadn't noticed.

"Well, I certainly didn't expect that!" The man said, voicing her thoughts. "I suppose I'm willing to hire. How about we do an interview at about one. Unless you have somewhere to be that is." The man smiled at her and Blake found herself smiling back. Something about him just seemed so cheerful. "Feel free to stay as long as you like."

"I will thank you!" Blake nodded and immediately went to the romance novels shelf. Books had always been Blake's solace. They were comforting and secure. She could experience adventure without the pain it caused. Adam hadn't been a huge fan of books but Blake had been trying to get him to read. He still had a book that she had lent him.

Adam…

Where was he now? Was he mad at her or just disappointed? Had he finished that book yet?

"_What are you reading?" Blake looked up as Adam stepped out onto the roof._

"_A book. What else?" Blake returned to her book, hoping for some peace and quiet._

_Adam whistled and walked up. "Someone's in a bad mood. I said, what are you reading?"_

"_Not important." Blake mumbled. She shifted so that her legs hid the book's cover._

"_I think it is." Adam promptly pluck the book form Blake's hands and examined the cover. "Ninjas of Love, now that is an interesting title. Didn't know you were into romance, Blake."_

"_Adam, give it back!" Blake made a swipe at the book only for Adam to hold it higher. She tried again, but Adam had the advantage. She couldn't reach it no matter how much she stretched. Adam stepped back and Blake lunged at him only to knock him to the ground._

_As they tumbled down Blake snatched the book from Adam. He chuckled and sat up, pushing her off his lap._

"_Fine, but you need to read it to me." Adam smirked. _

_Blake colored instantly. "No! Read your own book!" Adam leaned closer, which made Blake lean back._

"_Then why don't you lend it to me?" Adam pulled the book from her hands again and this time Blake didn't fight him._

Blake smiled at the man she was talking with. He had brought her some tea and now they were talking about the job she wanted.

"I don't see a problem with you working here, when do you want to start?" The cheerful store owner said. Blake blinked taken aback by his kindness.

"Thank you so much! I'm willing to start whenever!" Blake took another sip of her tea, which was a little too sweet for her taste.

The man stood and walked over to one of the shelves. He pulled a book out and examined it. "Alright, how about you start…"

The world lurched for a moment and Blake blinked to clear her eyes. What was happening? The world spun again and Blake fell from her chair. The store owner turned to her with a mildly surprised expression. He walked over and crouched down in front of Blake. Her woozy mind could only read what was on the cover of his book. _Faunus: The Animals That Seek Control_. What a dumb name for a book. Blake's eyes slipped shut. Why were her eyelids so heavy? Why couldn't she open them?

"Never. I don't want a filthy animal working in my shop. You thought you could hide your ears from me?" He wrinkled his nose and flicked Blake's bow. "I drugged you and you'll never wake up."

The world went dark.


	7. Bloodshed

**Bloodshed**

Adam snarled as he shoved another human to the ground. They were seemingly endless. He had been slinking from alley to alley and a gang had decided to fight him. He had discarded his sword and instead gone for a fistfight. A fist fight was far more satisfactory. A fist came at him, Adam grabbed the wrist and a little bit lower than the elbow. He pulled with his hands and slammed his knee into the arm. The arm snapped in half with a crack, its owner screamed and stumbled away. Another man charged Adam. He swung his right fist. Adam easily dodged the incoming appendage. He lashed out and kicked his assalent's side. The crunch of breaking ribs made Adam smile.

A wagon rolling by made Adam stop. It wasn't the fact that there was a wagon, there were plenty of those. It was what fell from the wagon that startled him.

A black ribbon.

One that looked exactly like Black's. Yes, there were a ton of black ribbons in the world but Adam trusted his gut. And it told him that there was more to it then a black ribbon. A fist missing his face snapped Adam back in the moment. One of the humans was trying to hit him.

Adam caught the next punch and twisted his attacker's wrist. The human howled and Adam slammed his forehead against the human's. His mask cracked but he didn't care. He grabbed his blade and ran into the street. He swept up the black ribbon and ran after the wagon.

It rumbled along until they were well out of the city. Adam followed it silently. The man on top of the wagon seemed cheerful. He hummed as the wagon bumped along and even sang at one point. He tipped his hat to the people he passed and in general radiated pure happiness. They stopped at a clearing, a ring of trees around the wagon. The man driving it stepped out and pulled the large cloth bag from the back. He grunted as the bag came down with a crash. A moan came from the bag. The wagon driver's demeanor changed in an instant. The man kicked the bag and pulled a gun out of his pocket.

"Time to kill this animal." He said. He ripped the bag open to reveal…

Blake.

Adam's world went red. He lunged forward and drew his sword. The crimson weapon cut clean through the man's neck. He fell to the ground as Adam flicked the blood off of Blush. He sheathed his sword and turned to Blake. She lay there looking so peaceful. Her breath came out in little puffs. Adam kneeled down and gathered her into his arms. She snuggled against his chest and sighed. Adam smiled. She really was so small. But stronger than anyone knew. He began walking back to her tree, leaving the body and a pool of blood behind.

"_Come on, Blake! You can do this!" Adam pushed her harder. They were on the roof, training. Blake had been rather down the whole day. She limply blocked Adam's swings. It was pathetic. She wasn't even trying and neither was Adam. The whole thing was just a waste of time._

_Adam let his sword down and stared at Blake. "This is pathetic. What are you doing?"_

_Blake didn't answer. She just walked over to the wall and plopped down. She opened a water bottle and guzzled it. _

_Adam sat down next to her. "Blake what happened?"_

"_Nothing." Blake said far too quickly. Adam gave her a wry look. "Nothing happened, Adam." _

"_I find that unlikely." Adam snapped. Blake started at his angry tone. "You were terrible in training. You usually do so well. What happened?"_

"_Nothing." Blake insisted. Adam narrowed his eyes and leaned closer. _

"_Something obviously happened."_

_Blake began to sweat at his close proximity. "Adam…"_

"_Blake, I want to help you. Let me." Adam leaned back._

_Blake hung her head. "The other trainees were saying that I wasn't good enough to be your student. I guess their words got in my head." She didn't look up at Adam. He probably thought the whole thing was stupid. That she should just ignore the other trainees. Blake knew that she should have ignored them, but she hadn't and now she was paying for it._

"_So show them that they're wrong." Adam's words jolted Blake out of her thoughts._

"_What?"_

"_I said, show them that they're wrong. You're strong, Blake. I picked you to be my student because I know that you are powerful. Someday you're going to pass me by, it's only a matter of time." Blake gasped as Adam finished his speech._

"_You really think that?"_

"_If I didn't think that I wouldn't say it. Let's fight again." The both got up and this time Blake actually tried. Their blades clashed and feet pounded as they ran at each other. Adam smiled as she pressed the attack harder. He twisted his blade, knocking her own out of her hand. Blake stepped back panting._

"_Good job." Adam said. She flashed him a smile._

"_Thanks. For everything."_


	8. Promises

**Promises**

Blake's eyes fluttered open. She was strangely warm. She sat up and a blanket fell off of her. That explained the warmth. But where was she? Blake scanned the small room she was in. There was a nightstand that had her diary on it as well as a small lamp. Her messenger bag sat in a chair to Blake's right. A door to her left was open showing a bathroom with a tiny shower. A door right in front of Blake seemed to be the only way out of the room, other then the window. The window… Blake turned to the window and nearly screamed. A shadow sat on the ledge. The person turned to her and Blake found herself facing a very familiar grimm mask. Except the mask had a crack right down the middle.

"How are you feeling?" His voice was gentle and soft.

Blake found herself relaxing at the sound of his voice. "What happened?"

He turned back to look down at the darkened street. "We're in an inn now. You're safe."

"Adam, what happened?" Blake started to stand but her legs wouldn't support her weight. She began to fall to the ground. In a flash he was there. He scooped her up and placed her into the bed.

"Blake, you need to rest."

"What happened?" Blake insisted. She pushed herself up and stared at his cold mask.

"I wanted to ask you the same thing." Adam sighed. He straightened the covers over Blake. She noted that he wouldn't look her in the face for longer than a minute.

"He was against faunus, and he drugged me. He said that I wouldn't ever wake up." Blake's brow wrinkled at the thought. "When and how did you find me? And how did you get my stuff?"

Adam shifted on his feet. "The White Fang sent me after you. I found your stuff, left and went into the city." He held out his hand which was in a fist. He opened his fist to reveal a black ribbon. "I found this and followed a gut feeling. It's a good thing I did." Blake blinked a few times, trying to process the information.

"How are you feeling?" Adam repeated his question. She smiled.

"All right. Even if I can't hold up my own weight." Blake patted the spot next to her. "Please sit down."

Adam obeyed. Rather silently, but he still obeyed. "The White Fang wants you back." Always to the point. He was never one to dance around the problem or ignore the elephant in the room.

"I'm not going back to the White Fang." Blake summoned her courage. "But I don't want to lose you." Adam opened her mouth to say something but Blake wasn't intending to stop. "You don't need to leave the White Fang, and I don't expect you to. But I don't want you to… I don't want you to…" A tear slipped down her cheek. Adam's hand slipped up to wipe it away.

"You don't want what, Blake?" Adam said softly. He was looking at her now. Not staring at the ground or out the window.

"I… I don't want you to forget me." Now that the truth was out she found herself bursting into tears. Adam leaned his forehead against hers. His hand was still holding her face and the coolness of his mask was slightly calming.

"I couldn't and won't ever forget you." Blake's sobs slowed down and only an occasional shake of her shoulders betrayed her actual state. "I promise."

Blake nodded her head against Adam's. He pulled away far to soon. She already found herself missing his warmth. He grabbed Wilt and Blush before turning around to look at Blake.

"I'm going back to the White Fang. From now on you are dead. I'll visit when I can. Goodbye."

"Goodbye." Blake said. She watched as he leaped out the window. "I promise I won't forget you either."


	9. Midnight

**Midnight**

"_I promise."_

It had been months. Blake was still waiting to see him again. She could hear Weiss and Ruby fighting again. She had a team now. Not just a partner. She had enrolled at Beacon, gotten a team, and made new friends. Her team was loud and annoying and they interrupted her reading. But she found herself growing fonder of them each day. A small twinge at her heart almost made her drop her book. Was that a shadow flashing by outside her window? She hadn't seen him in forever.

"YOU ARE SO...JUST UGH!" Weiss screamed. She stomped out the door, leaving a despondent Ruby behind.

"What did I do wrong?" Ruby asked her sister. Yang only shrugged. Blake stood up and headed to the door.

"I'm going on a walk." Ruby jumped at her and grabbed her arm.

"You too? Are you mad at me?" Blake looked down at the younger girl clinging to her arm.

"I'm not mad at you. I've been wanting to go on a walk for a little while, if I find Weiss I'll tell her that you're sorry."

"Really?!" Ruby squealed. Blake's ears hurt already. "Thank you!"

"Of course, now let go." Ruby dropped off of Blake's arm and waved as she left.

"See yah! Thanks!" Blake sighed and shook her head. As soon as the door closed behind her, she took off running for a window. It opened with ease and Blake dropped to the floor below. She ignored the shocked looks of the students around her and rushed forward. He was waiting. Right?

3 months ago

"We are sorry for your loss, Taurus. How much time do you need to recoup?" The White Fang official said. He looked almost bored as he looked through his files. "I'll will write down that Blake Belladonna is dead. I will of course tell her parents."

"I will tell them." Adam said far too quickly. "It's my fault that she is gone, I should be the one to tell her family."

The official had the audacity to yawn. "How much time will you need?"

Adam had to resist the urge to skewer the imbecile. "I will only need one week to get to Menagerie and back. After that, I do not need any time to mourn." His grip tightened on Wilt and Blush. "The humans took her and I will gladly pay them back."

The White Fang oficial smiled at the last part. His smile was grim and twisted. It reminded Adam of a snake. "Good to hear. Again, I am sorry for your loss." Adam's grip on Wilt and Blush tightened again. That man didn't sound sorry in the slightest, just bored. As if he didn't care about his subordinates. The snake glanced up again. He looked annoyed at Adam's presence. "You're dismissed."

As Adam turned to go, he heard the man behind him grumbling about the paperwork that he would have to do regarding Blake. Adam's urge to kill someone had never been stronger.

The hand behind his back clenched the black ribbon it held tighter.

_Blake held the package to her chest tighter. Adam had given her a challenge. Keep the package away from him for three minutes and she won, didn't and she failed. He had given her a five minute head start to run and hide. She ran through the White Fang camp, searching for a good spot. She could hide in a closet somewhere, but if he found her there she wouldn't have and escape route._

_Blake spotted a roof from afar. It would be a perfect spot. If he found her she could run, and there was a bit of a wall on the roof that would hide her perfectly. Blade scuttled up to the roof and crouched down, panting. Hopefully Adam wouldn't find her._

"_Got you."_

_Scratch that. Hopefully she would be able to get away. Blake backed up until the edge of the roof hit her back. She wasn't in any condition to run and he was right in front of her. The package she was holding was heavy and Blake just wanted to be done with it. The fact that Adam had found her so quickly was just plain annoying. She lunged to his left, trying to slip past him._

_Adam's arm snaked out and grabbed her shoulder. He shoved her to the ground and ripped the package out of her arms. "I win." Blake crossed her arms and pouted up at Adam. He got up off of her. She sat up and stared at him._

"_What was the point of that?" She grumbled. Adam laughed and ruffled her ears._

"_If you have something we can't give to the humans, you need to learn how to run." He held the package to her. She raised her eyebrow at him and cautiously took the package._

"_What is it?"_

_Adam smirked and waved his finger in front of her face. "That's not how it works. Open it and you'll see." Blake huffed before tearing into the package. Inside was a Variant Ballistic Chain Scythe. Blake gasped and pulled it out of the last shreds of the packaging. _

"_What are you going to name it?" Adam asked. Blake stared at him dumbstruck. _

"_Is this… Mine?" _

_Adam smirked at her open mouth. "Yes, Blake it's yours." Blake squealed and tackled Adam in a bear hug. He chuckled as they fell to the hard concrete ground. He repeated his question. Blake sat up and thought._

"_Gambol Shroud." _

_Adam nodded. "Like a dancing cloth. I like it."_

_Blake hugged him again. "Thank you."_

_That was how they made their first memory up on the roof. Many more would follow. Both good and bad, fun and sad, playful and serious. That night they stayed up till midnight. As the moon's glowing light washed over them, Adam taught Blake how to use a weapon, how to defend both her own life and others._

Blake waited outside in the dark. She thought that she had seen his shadow but she was wrong. He wasn't coming back. He had promised to though. Surely he would keep his promise. Blake shivered as the clock struck midnight. It was cold and she wanted to just curl up in her bed.

A cloud pulled away from the moon lighting up the bench across from Blake. For a split second she thought she saw him sitting there. Waiting for her. Then he was gone. A scrap of paper floated down from the spot she thought he was. Blake rushed forward and grabbed snatched to paper before the wind could blow it away. She smoothed it out desperately searching for a note.

There were no words on the paper. Nothing. Not a single letter. The paper was nothing but a piece of trash blown by the wind. Blake checked the other side. Still nothing. She dropped the paper and stalked back to her dorm. He really had left her.

Behind Blake the paper fluttered to the ground useless. It would never carry someone's message never carry someone's dreams. It was nothing more than an empty husk. No one would cry over it, and no one would smile at the message it bore. The wind blew even harder. The paper swept up into the breeze. It fluttered through the streets of Vale, past the gates, and into the woods. It fluttered through trees and over streams.

A gloved hand grabbed it out of nowhere. Another hand opened the paper. There was still no message on the white expanse. The glove was pulled off and it moved upwards to its owner's mouth. The hand came back down, but now it was bleeding out of a small cut made by a tooth. Slowly a message was written on the paper in blood. The paper was then released to the wind. Sent to find its recipient.

The breeze sent it on its way again. Four words burned into it. Four words written in blood. Four words meant for only one person. Four words sent away at midnight.

_Where are you, Blake?_


	10. Shaped Shadows

**Shaped Shadows**

Blake didn't know why she kept checking the shadows. She had stopped expecting Adam. Maybe he was stationed far away or maybe he really didn't want to see her. Either way she was standing under a tree, peering into its branches. There still wasn't even a sign of Adam. Blake crept back to the dorm despondent. Inside the dorms Ruby was trying to bake a cake. One look at the mess and Blake decided that she would extend her walk. As silent as she came, Blake left. No one even noticed. Adam had always had a knack for knowing if she was there. That ability had almost gotten her in trouble.

_Adam was in meeting. The meeting was about a mission that he and Blake might take. Blake, needless to say, was curious. She crept about the halls of the White Fang base. This section of the base was weird. Currently it was being used for a series of meeting rooms. The space was originally designed with no walls and a high ceiling. Temporary walls had been put up for a little bit of privacy. Blake was using this to her advantage. She had climbed into the rafters and was now peering down at Adam and the two White Fang members he was with. _

_Everything was going well. No one had spotted her and was getting all the information she wanted. The mission sounded interesting and Blake was eager to give it a try. Adam looked up for a second and Blake's heart jumped into her throat. As soon as he looked back down, Blake rushed back to where he told her to meet him. The roof._

_Ten minutes later Adam climbed onto the roof. Blake watched him and prayed that he hadn't seen her in the rafters._

"_Why were you spying on us?"_

_Scratch that. Blake just wanted to get to bed on time and not stay up all night doing drills._

"_What?" Her voice came out a not very convincing squeak._

_Adam gave her a look before lunging with his blade out. Set to skewer her. Blake yelped at the unexpected attack and rolled to the side. _

"_What was that?" She snapped._

_Adam chuckled and read his blade again. "You beat me in a fight, I won't tell anyone about your snooping behavior."_

_Blake did a backhandspring away from another one of his attacks. She had never beat Adam in a fight. He was giving her an impossible task. That did not mean that Blake wasn't going to try. "Challenge accepted!" _

_Blake parried his sword and aimed a kick at Adam's gut. He smoothly dodged the attack whilst flipping his blade around so he was holding it downwards. He swung the blade in an arch towards her neck. Blake let the momentum of her previous kick carry her into ducking down under Adam's blade. The gleaming crimson edge missed her nose be a centimeter. _

_They both spun around and squared off. Adam flipped his blade back so that he was holding it normally. Blake split Gambol Shroud into two weapons. Before Adam would always charge and Blake would go on the defensive. Now that was going to change. Blake charged. Adam was clearly taken aback by the sudden move but he still easily blocked both of her swords. _

_Blake pushed the offensive determined to break beat Adam. He swiftly countered each and everyone of her attacks, but he wasn't trying to take her down. He wanted to see what she had planned. Blake twisted and kicked at Adam's wrist. At the same time she swung on of her sword at his head. Adam lifted his sword up to block her swing and took the hit to his wrist. He didn't even wince. _

_Blake backed up a few steps to study Adam. He was rolling his wrist and eyeing her swords. She knew that he would beat her in raw power and speed. She would have to use cunning to beat him. _

_Blake lunged at him. He was still block her and hadn't even worked up a sweat. Blake continually forced him to make a choice. He would either take a blade or a kick. He chose the kick every time. Finally as Blake was panting and slowing down, Adam chose differently. He dropped his sword and ducked under her swing. He caught her leg with both hands. Blake barely had time to widen her eyes before he pulled._

_She came crashing to the ground. Gambol Shroud fell out of her hands. She was tired and done. Adam wasn't showing any signs of fatigue. He easily pulled her closer and flipped her over, pinning her hands behind her back._

_Adam leaned down next to Blake's cat ears. "I win."_

_Blake shivered and flicked her ears in annoyance. Adam chuckled as the velvety appendage whapped his chin. He got up and pulled Blake up with him. _

"_Good job. Although, I wasn't going to tell anyong either way." Adam said referring to Blake's sneaking._

_Blake huffed in annoyance and crossed arms over her chest. "Jerk."_

Blake smiled at the memory and continued walking. A brief shadow caught her attention. Was it worth it? She didn't care if it was. She wasn't going to give up on him. She sprinted over to where she had spotted the shadow. It was a dog.

Blake screech and slept into a nearby tree. Dogs were monsters. Absolute monsters. It ran around her tree, barking up at her. She was stuck trembling in a tree. Not how she wanted her day to go.

Another shadow appeared. It strolled over casually. It was a man. He was wearing all black and a hood covered his eyes. A bundled shaped that looked suspiciously like a sword was slung across his back.

He walked until he made it to the tree. He shooed the dog away with a glance. He looked up and Blake gasped. His eyes were covered with a black ribbon. She knew of only one person who was so religious about covering their eyes.


	11. Reunion

**Reunion**

"Blake."

One word, one name fell off his lips. It tasted like honey. He relished the feeling of her name being spoken out loud. She slowly slipped down from the tree. Her every move was soundless.

"A-" Her voice broke and her eyes started to water. The past was suddenly forgotten. He cared. He didn't want to see her cry. He stepped forward and enveloped her in his arms. Her sobs finally broke free.

"I-I was so scared that you had forgotten." She buried her face in his shoulder. Her stroked her hair. Blake knew that she shouldn't be doing this. They stood for two different things. But she couldn't help it. Adam felt safe.

"Shh. I'm here now. I'm sorry I took so long." His grip tightened around her.

"Adam." He loved how his name sounded when she spoke it. Soft and sweet. Everyone else spoke it like a curse. She said it like a blessing. "Thank you." He could feel her small arms trying to wrap around his frame, her hands fisting in the fabric of his coat, and her tears wetting his shoulder.

"I'm station in Vale now." He whispered. Blake pulled away from him slightly, much to Adam's displeasure.

"Really?" He only nodded and pulled her closer again. She began humming a familiar tune. Adam started to make them sway to her humming. Blake sighed and moved her arms so that her hands were clasped behind his neck. His own hands went to her waist.

They stood there swaying to Blake's humming. Blake found herself getting sleepy and leaning on Adam more. Her eyes slipped shut whilst her humming stopped. Adam picked up the song where she had left off. He continued to hum as he gathered the sleeping Blake into his arms. She was light as a feather and snuggled right up against his chest. He walked until he made it to the Beacon's dorm rooms.

"Blake." She stirred but didn't open her eyes. "Blake." One of her cat ears flicked in annoyance.

"What?" She said sleepily.

"What's you room?" She mumbled in his neck, but Adam managed to pick up a string of numbers. After memorizing the sequence, he set off.

He walked for what felt like only a few minutes, but in reality was an hour. Adam stopped in front of Blake's door. He contemplated whether or not to wake her. He could just knock on that door and bring her to her bed. Tell her roommates that he was a friend of hers. Adam, however, didn't want anyone to know that he was here.

"Blake." He shook her gently, trying to get the kitten to stir. "Blake." She groaned and tightened her grip around his neck. Adam slowly began to set her down on her feet. "You have to go to bed."

Blake blearily opened her eyes. "What?" Her voice was slurred and one eye was trying to shut again. "Oh. Right. Goodnight, Adam."

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. He blinked in shock. For the first time he was speechless. Blake unlocked the door to her room and opened it. Obnoxious snoring snapped Adam out of his revere. Blake wobbled on her feet and he promptly picked her up again. He just had to hope that no one was awake. Blake didn't try to resist. She leaned her head on his shoulder and pointed to her bed. Adam eyed the bed with the blonde sleeping on it warely. It looked like the thing might fall on Blake during the night.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Blake purred. She was purring. Actually purring. Adam grinned, tucking Blake away into her bed.

"Sleep well. I'll come when I can." After a moment's hesitation, he kissed Blake's forehead.

Was it his imagination of did her purring get louder at that? He slipped out the door before his mind could question it further.

"Goodnight, Adam." Blake sighed as door shut. He smiled and tapped out a message in morse code on her wall. He didn't even know if she knew morse code, but that wasn't going to stop him. He wanted her to know. Or he at least wanted to say something to let her know even if she didn't hear it.

_Goodnight, My Love._


End file.
